Foreigner Debuts New Vocalist Luis Maldonado – Watch

Foreigner launched their 2025 South American tour on Monday night, and there was something different about this show. Guitarist Luis Maldonado, who’s been with the band since 2021, stepped into the spotlight as lead singer for most of the set—and he nailed it.

Kelly Hansen, the band’s longtime frontman, announced earlier this year that he’d be skipping the international dates. Hansen explained:

“Some issues have forced me to limit appearances outside of the USA this year, and this means, unfortunately, I will miss Foreigner’s South American run.
“However, our incredible bandmate Luis Maldonado has been recording some of our hits in Spanish and he will be handling most of the vocals along with Lou Gramm who will be guesting with Foreigner for those shows. I know they will smash it!”

Lou Gramm Returns for the Encore

And smash it they did. Maldonado kicked off the night with “Double Vision” and carried the show with confidence. But fans got an extra treat when Foreigner’s original lead singer, Lou Gramm, joined in for the final four songs.

Gramm closed the main set with “Juke Box Hero” and then teamed up with Maldonado for a powerful version of “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Maldonado even sang the opening verse in Spanish—a nice nod to the local crowd.

More Shows on the Horizon

Foreigner’s South American trek wraps up on May 10 in São Paulo. After that, they’ll head back to the U.S. for a June 11 show in Highland, California—likely with Hansen back at the mic.

But the lead singer swaps aren’t over yet. This fall, when the band travels to Canada, Hansen will sit those shows out too. Instead, Juke Box Hero: The Musical star Geordie Brown will take over vocal duties.

For now, though, Maldonado and Gramm are keeping the Foreigner flame burning bright—and fans are loving it.

Watch Foreigner’s performance in Mexico City in the video below: